Portable folding shelter.



L. A. BELL.

PORTABLE FOLDING SHELTER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. e, 1913.

Patentd Apr. 7, 191 1 Inventor Witnesses Attorneys LOUIS A. BELL, OF STARKVILLE, MISSISSIPPI.

PORTABLE FOLDING SHELTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 6, 1913.

Patented Apr. 7, 191 1.

Serial No. 799,558.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LOUIS A. BELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Starla ville, in the county of Oktibbeha and State of Mississippi, have invented a new and useful Portable Folding Shelter, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a portable and folding shelter and aims to provide a temporary shelter for horses which have been tied to hitching posts.

A further object is to provide a device which may be used by camping parties in the capacity of a tent.

A further object is to provide a structure which may be easily secured to a post, tree, or allied structure and which will project therefrom in a cantaliver manner and which structures are adapted to support canvas or allied material for the purpose of sheltering that which may be disposed beneath the structure.

A further object is to provide a device of the above mentioned class which may be easily and quickly secured to a supporting postand as readily detached therefrom.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings accompanying this specification and forming a part thereof, the preferable form of my invention has been illustrated, in which Figure 1 is a view in perspective of my improved portable and folding shelter. Fig. 2 is an end view thereof when the same is in a collapsed condition.

Referring to the drawings in which similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, 3 represents an upright supporting structure which may be a hitching post, tree or upright article to which my improved shelter is secured.

The shelter includes a frame composed of a top cross or main beam 4 pivotally secured to the ends of which are the downwardly extending arms 5 and 6. Extending between the corresponding arms 5 and 6 of each pair of arms which are disposed at the remote ends of the arms 4 are the strut or spacing rods 7 which in addition to holding the arms in their proper spaced relation and strengthening the entire structure, afford a support for the covering 8 illustrated in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

Pivotally secured to the lower extremities of the arms 5 and 6 and extendmg therebetween are the adjusting bars 9, each pair of arms being provided with two of the said adjusting bars and which bars overlap for some little distance as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The pivotal connections 10 between the adjusting bars also serve to rigidly secure spring latch plates 11 thereto. The spring latch plates 11 are provided with locking pins 12 at their forward extremities and which pins extend through the openings 13 in one of the arms 9 and engage in an opening 14- in the adjacent arm which will be brought into registration therewith when the downwardly extending arms 5 are extended to their open position as illustrated in Fig. 1.

Rigidly secured to the main beam 1 adj acent one end thereof are the attaching menr bers 15 and 16 being secured to the upper and lower surfaces of the beam respectively. The attaching member 15 projects for a short distance beyond the end of the beam 4 at which point it is bent at right angles in an upward direction as at 17 and through which upwardly extending projection extends the hole or aperture 18. The second attaching member 16 is curved in a downward direction as at 19 and passes between the arms 6 which latter are provided with the notches 20 so that they may assume a folded position without interference with the said attaching member which lies within the notches when the arms are so positioned. This lower attaching member is then bent upwardly and provided with the apertures 21 and 22 extending therethrough.

In order that the entire device may be supported and project outwardly from its supporting structure similar to a cantaliver, suitable holding means 23 extend through the apertures 18 and 22 and engage the upright supporting structure 3.

In those instances where the structure 3 is a hitching post and wherein the structure herein illustrated will be secured thereto a number of times, the hitching post is provided with a plate 24: rigidly secured there to and to which the attaching members 15 and 16 are secured. However, it will be noted that the plate 24 may be readily dispensed with and will not be used when the portable and foldable structure is used as a temporary tent for camping parties.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that a structure is provided which may be folded and readily carried about and which may be'reaclily unfolded or extended for the receiving of the tent-like or canvas cover thereover which will be held open similar to a tent. The entire construction provides fora strong and rigid structure able to withstand inclement weather and protect that which is disposed thereben-ea-th therefrom.

The present device performs a humane service when secured to a hitching post and protects draft horses from the weather.

Attention is called to the fact that the arms 6 may act in the capacity of azcheck by contacting with the post 3 so as to thereby prevent excessive sagging of the frame and this feature also relieves the attaching members of considerable stress should undue weight be brought to bear upon the structures.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is l. A foldable and portable shelter comprising a frame including a main beam, downwardly extending arms pivotally secured to the remote ends thereof, adjusting members pivotally secured to the lower extremities of the arms of each pair adapted to hold said arms in extendedposi-tion, strut bars extending between corresponding arms of each pair adapted to hold the same in spaced relation and forming a cover support, and attaching members rigidly secured to the beam at one extremity thereof projeeting thereabove and therebelo-w, said attaching members provided with upturned ends for the securing thereof to a supporting structure. a

2. In a device of the class described, a

attachlng members provided with notches for the reception of said attaching members when folded thereagainst, the said attaching members provided with bent ends extending substantially at right angles to the main beam, said attaching members pro-V vided with means extending therethrough for the securing thereof to a supporting structure, said frame adapted to support a sheltering cover in a tent-like manner.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

LOUIS A. BELL.

lVitnesses B. F. BELL, A. S. CRIGEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D, C. 

